President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Thursday early morning night ordered the use of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, ICBM in the Dnipro region of Ukraine which caused injuries and destruction of buildings, but, Putin in a video broadcast on Friday said, the weapon used in Dnipro was Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, IRBM.

The missile targeted industrial and critical infrastructure, causing fires and injuring two people. 

Local reporters stated that the missile was launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region, accompanied by a Kinzhal hypersonic missile and seven Kh-101 cruise missiles. Ukrainian defenses intercepted six of the cruise missiles but did not confirm the ICBM or IRBM impact. 

The attack followed Ukraine’s use of US and British missiles on Russian territory, worsening the conflict. Moscow warned that these attacks could cause serious consequences. 

Military observers said although Ukraine’s Patriot systems can intercept short-range missiles, they are not optimized for ICBMs. Analysts question whether the US was pre-notified of the launch to avoid accidental retaliation.

Ukraine fired UK-supplied long-range Storm Shadow missiles at targets within Russia for the first time, according to BBC.

Earlier Ukraine had said that Russia is staging a “psychological attack” in spreading messages of a large attack, after the US closes its embassy in Kyiv over an air strike threat.

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in a nationwide address, stated that Western long-range missiles were used in strikes on military facilities in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions, marking a shift in the Ukraine conflict to a “global war.”

He warned that these attacks require the direct involvement of operators from the manufacturing countries.

Putin during the Nationwide broadcast announced the successful test of the new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) “Oreshnik,” equipped with a non-nuclear hypersonic warhead, and confirmed its use in a strike on Yuzhmash. He emphasized that the West should reconsider plans to enable strikes deep inside Russia, warning of decisive Russian retaliation in case of escalation.

Although Putin claimed the enemy’s objectives were not achieved, he pledged to issue prior warnings to Ukrainian civilians in areas targeted by such missiles.

He also criticized the US for violating the agreement to eliminate long-range missiles, transferring its weapons to different regions of the world.

In a swift reaction, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, said: “Today, Putin admitted to taking a second step this year toward escalating and expanding this war.

A new ballistic missile was used. Putin struck our city of Dnipro, one of Ukraine’s largest cities. This is a clear and severe escalation in the scale and brutality of this war—a cynical violation of the UN Charter by Russia.

Let me emphasize: this is already Russia’s second step toward escalation this year. The first was involving North Korea in the war against Ukraine with a contingent of at least 11,000 soldiers.

Putin has taken both of these steps while ignoring everyone in the world who is calling for no further expansion of the war. He disregards calls from China, Brazil, European countries, the United States, and others. Putin alone started this war—an entirely unprovoked war—and he is doing everything to prolong it, now for over a thousand days.

The use of a ballistic missile against Ukraine today is yet more proof that Russia has no interest in peace. Putin lies when he claims that Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons is somehow a new step for us.

This is not the first time we have used such weapons, and we have every right to do so under international law. Our right to self-defense is the same as that of any other nation. And when Russian missiles hit our cities, when Iranian “Shaheds” attack Ukraine every night, when a North Korean contingent is deployed on our borders, Putin is not only prolonging the war—he is spitting in the face of those in the world who genuinely want peace to be restored.

The world must respond. Right now, there is no strong reaction from the world. Putin is very sensitive to this. He is testing you, dear partners. It is clear who the sole culprit of this war is—who started it on February 24th and who continues to pour all resources into its continuation. He must be stopped. A lack of tough reactions to Russia’s actions sends a message that such behavior is acceptable. This is what Putin is doing.

Putin must feel the cost of his deranged ambitions. Response is needed. Pressure is needed. Russia must be forced into real peace, which can only be achieved through strength. Otherwise, there will be endless Russian strikes, threats, and destabilization—not just against Ukraine.

True peace is worth fighting for. Action is required. Thank you to everyone who is helping. Glory to Ukraine!”, Zelenskyy words end in quote.

We had on Tuesday reported that there seems to be possible escalation of the more than 1000 day-old Russia-Ukraine war as Ukraine fired United States of America, USA made Army Tactical Missile Systems, ATACMS into a major ammunition depot in Karachev area of Bryank Oblast region of Russia on Tuesday after President Joe Biden gave Kyiv approval to use its long range missiles inside Russia, an action which prompted President Vladimir Putin to hold emergency Nuclear weapon meeting with his team and also signed into law the use of the Nuclear weapon against country assisting Non-Nuclear nation against Moscow, a statement which apparently indicated that Russia may have planned to attack US.

Reports from Ukraine indicated that Russia intensified airstrikes against Ukraine during the weekend.

Videos posted online on Tuesday showed large explosions at a major ammunition depot, GRAU arsenal in Karachev in the Bryank Oblast of Russia, located about 115 kilometres from Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov told journalists that new changes to Russia’s nuclear weapons doctrine signed by President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday mean “the use of Western non-nuclear rockets by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against Russia can prompt a nuclear response.”

According to reports, the ATACMS strikes by Ukraine affected the facility near Karachev, 70 miles from Ukraine’s border, with secondary explosions reported. Footage showed a fiery explosion followed by plumes of smoke.

Ukrainian military sources confirmed the success of the operation, marking a turning point in the conflict as US-made missiles are now part of Kyiv’s arsenal.

Russia claimed its air defenses intercepted five missiles, but debris from one caused a fire at a military site.

In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new law allowing nuclear retaliation for long-range missile attacks, lowering the threshold for deploying nuclear weapons.

Putin also issued a direct warning to the US, accusing the Biden administration of recklessness after its recent approval for Ukraine to use ATACMS.

Russian lawmakers condemned Washington’s decision, with one senior official calling it a significant step toward World War III. This escalation comes on the 1000th day of the war, underscoring the growing global tensions.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that it defeated a Ukrainian attack that used U.S.-made missiles shortly before the Kremlin updated its nuclear weapons doctrine to allow for nuclear strikes in response to foreign ballistic missile attacks.

The changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine were unveiled several weeks ago but only signed by Putin on Tuesday, as officials in Moscow expressed anger at the US decision to allow ATACMS use on Russian territory.

The doctrine now says Russia can launch a nuclear attack against a country assisting a non-nuclear country in aggression against Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday. “The fact that ATACMS was used repeatedly in the Bryansk region tonight is, of course, a signal that they want escalation. And it is impossible to use these high-tech missiles without the Americans, as Putin has repeatedly said.”